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What is the Approved Document O (Part O)?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025Approved Document O (AD O) is a part of the UK Building Regulations that provides guidance on mitigating the risk of overheating in new residential buildings, including homes, care homes, and student accommodation. It sets out requirements for designing and constructing buildings to ensure they remain comfortable and safe during hot weather, reducing the need...
What is the Approved Document L(1) (Part L)?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025Building Regulations Approved Document L(1) is a statutory document in the UK that provides guidance on meeting the requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations, which focuses on the conservation of fuel and power in dwellings. It sets out standards for energy efficiency, insulation, heating systems, and airtightness in new and existing residential buildings....
What is the Approved Document F(1) (Part F)?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025Building Regulations Approved Document F (1) is a statutory document that provides guidance on meeting the ventilation requirements for dwellings in the UK. It outlines the minimum standards for ventilation systems to ensure adequate air quality, reduce condensation, and prevent mould growth. This document is part of the Building Regulations 2010 and is essential for...
What is the Approved Document B(1) (Part B)?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025Approved Document B(1) is part of the UK Building Regulations, specifically addressing fire safety in dwellings. It provides detailed guidance on how to meet the legal requirements for fire safety in residential buildings, including new builds, extensions, and material alterations. The document outlines measures to prevent the spread of fire, ensure safe escape routes, and...
What does Continuous Operation Mean?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025The uninterrupted running of mechanical ventilation devices, such as Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (MEV) or Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR), in residential buildings. Continuous operation refers to the ongoing, uninterrupted functioning of mechanical ventilation systems designed to maintain indoor air quality by removing pollutants, moisture, and stale air. The airflow rate may vary under...
What is Continuous Mechanical Supply and Extract with Heat Recovery?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) is a ventilation system that extracts stale air from a building while simultaneously supplying fresh air from outside. The system incorporates a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the outgoing air to the incoming air, thereby pre-warming it and improving energy efficiency. MVHR systems are increasingly popular in the...
What is Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (cMEV)?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (cMEV), (formerly known as System 3), is a mechanical ventilation system designed to continuously remove stale air from the interior of a building. It operates at a low level to extract indoor air, thereby reducing humidity and pollutants, particularly in wet rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens. cMEV systems are integral...
What is a Residual Current Device (RCD)?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025A Residual Current Device (RCD) is a safety device designed to protect against electric shock and reduce the risk of electrical fires. It monitors the flow of current in a circuit and automatically disconnects the power supply if it detects an imbalance, which could indicate a fault such as a live wire touching a conductive...
What is a Circuit Breaker?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025A circuit breaker is an automatic electrical switch designed to interrupt the flow of current in a circuit when it detects an overload or short circuit. Its primary function is to prevent damage to electrical wiring and appliances, as well as reduce the risk of fire. Circuit breakers are a critical component of modern electrical...
What is the Earth Wire?
Last Updated: 21 August 2025An earth wire, also known as a grounding wire, is a safety component in electrical systems designed to provide a low-resistance path for fault currents to flow to the ground. This prevents the buildup of dangerous voltages on electrical equipment, reducing the risk of electric shock or fire. In the UK, the use of earth...